Department for Transport

Roads: Accidents

baroness altmann: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (1) drivers, (2) passengers, and (3) pedestrians, were (a) killed, and (b) seriously injured, in road accidents in each of the last ten years.

baroness vere of norbiton: The number of killed and seriously injured casualties in reported road accidents as reported by the police to DfT, by casualty class in Great Britain, between 2009 and 2018 can be found in the below table:Reported road casualties, by severity and casualty class, Great Britain, 2009-20181,2Casualty Class3Severity2009201020112012201320142015201620172018Driver or riderKilled1,3211,1481,1511,0411,0411,0651,0681,0551,0491,062Driver or riderSeriously injured (unadjusted)15,00413,74814,25914,06013,51714,52514,03215,34515,60115,987PassengerKilled401297297293274264254289274266PassengerSeriously injured (unadjusted)4,1413,7123,4093,4203,1423,2193,1723,6163,6363,742PedestrianKilled500405453420398446408448470456PedestrianSeriously injured (unadjusted)5,5455,2005,4545,5594,9985,0634,9405,1405,5945,782Source: DfT, STATS191. Figures for serious injuries are as reported by the police. Since 2016, changes in severity reporting systems for a large number of police forces mean that serious injury figures, and to a lesser extent, slight injuries are not comparable with earlier years. Adjustments to account for the change have been produced for high level series. More information on the change and the adjustment process is available in the 2018 annual report.2. The data includes all motor vehicles, cyclists and horse riders.3. Does not include casualties with unidentified class.

High Speed 2 Railway Line: Euston Station

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Vere of Norbiton (HL3110), what plans they have to (1) publish a schedule of HS2 work in the Euston area that will be required regardless of design changes that may arise from the Oakervee Review, and (2) ensure that public consultation takes place on this schedule.

baroness vere of norbiton: There is a programme of engagement in place for the Camden area that provides the opportunity to share updates on works as they become available. This includes community meetings and working groups (currently taking place virtually), the HS2inCamden commonplace website and works notifications. A 12 month forward look summary of works and progress updates are provided at the Euston Community Representatives Group meeting which takes place quarterly and this will include any updates on developments following the Oakervee recommendations as they become available.

High Speed 2 Railway Line: Euston Station

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Vere of Norbiton (HL3110), what discussions they have had with HS2 Ltd about halting the installation of ground anchors from Parkway to the DB Cargo Shed area until a comprehensive and independent risk analysis has been completed and published; and whether or not these works are considered to be required regardless of design changes that may arise from the Oakervee Review.

baroness vere of norbiton: In response to the Oakervee Review, the Department has commissioned a study looking into the efficiency of the future Euston station, including the station approaches. The outcomes of this study will inform the development of the designs of the HS2 Euston station and approaches. Implementation of the selected designs, including the installation of any ground anchors required in the Parkway to the DG Cargo Shed area, will be subject to full risk analysis as they are progressed.

High Speed 2 Railway Line: Euston Station

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with HS2 Ltd about (1) delaying work on the Adelaide Road Vent Shaft until it is necessary for construction purposes, and (2) conducting a full biodiversity and tree survey in that area.

baroness vere of norbiton: The Department has held no specific discussions with HS2 Ltd about delaying work on the Adelaide Road Vent Shaft. It is for HS2 Ltd to manage its construction programme and to ensure that works proceed as planned in order to avoid further delays and additional costs to the taxpayer. HS2 Ltd has undertaken detailed ecological surveys within this area. The results from these surveys were used to inform the environmental impact assessment, as described in the Phase One Environmental Statement, and subsequent surveys have further informed design and any licensing requirements. HS2 Ltd’s local work also included a successful and beneficial outcome for the nearby Adelaide Nature Reserve and public access to it.

Aviation: Coronavirus

lord browne of belmont: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure flights between Northern Ireland and Great Britain continue during the COVID-19 pandemic.

baroness vere of norbiton: In May the Government announced a £5.7 million funding package of measures, supporting two airlinks, from Belfast and Londonderry to London, and associated airport services at City of Derry Airport and Belfast City Airport. The funding package has ensured that lifeline connectivity services continue to both Belfast and Londonderry during the COVID-19 pandemic. These routes provide critical connectivity for key workers, repatriation, and access to healthcare services. This approach was taken to ensure in the immediate term the continuity of service for passengers and specifically places an obligation on the operators to ensure the services continue at a minimum appropriate level. The support provided is a temporary arrangement for up to 3 months. We are continuing to monitor Northern Ireland to Great Britain connectivity as part of the Department’s work on restart and recovery of the sector and are pleased to see commercial services resuming between London and Belfast as well as in other parts of the UK.

Transport for London: Hygiene

lord patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with Transport for London about (1) cleanliness, and (2) hygiene, on the services that organisation operates.

baroness vere of norbiton: Ministers and officials at the Department for Transport have been meeting regularly with Transport for London (TfL) throughout the Covid-19 outbreak to discuss a wide range of topics, including cleanliness and hygiene on the London transport network. TfL has introduced an enhanced cleaning regime to ensure that its network is as sterile as possible, including using hospital-grade cleaning substances and new anti-viral disinfectant that protects for up to 30 days. It has also installed hand sanitiser points for customer use across the network. The Department is satisfied with the actions that TfL has taken and continues to take, to provide a safe transport network for those who need to use it.

Roads: Accidents

lord bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the total number of people (1) killed, and (2) seriously injured, in road accidents in each of the last ten years.

baroness vere of norbiton: The number of killed and seriously injured casualties in reported road accidents as reported by the police to DfT, in Great Britain, between 2009 and 2018 can be found in the below table:Reported road casualties, by severity, Great Britain, 2009-20181,2Severity2009201020112012201320142015201620172018Killed2,2221,8501,9011,7541,7131,7751,7301,7921,7931,784Seriously injured (unadjusted)24,69022,66023,12223,03921,65722,80722,14424,10124,83125,511Source: DfT, STATS19 1. Figures for serious injuries are as reported by police. Since 2016, changes in severity reporting systems for a large number of police forces mean that serious injury figures, and to a lesser extent slight injuries, are not comparable with earlier years. Adjustments to account for the change have been produced for high level series. More information on the change and the adjustment process is available in the 2018 annual report.   2. The data includes all motor vehicles, cyclists and horse riders.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Hospitality Industry

lord browne of belmont: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the (1) Northern Irish, (2) Scottish, and (3) Welsh, Governments about re-opening the hospitality sector in their nations.

lord callanan: The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has not held discussions with the Devolved Administrations on re-opening the hospitality sector in their nations. Public health is a devolved matter and this Department’s guidance on safer working applies to England only. The Devolved Administrations were asked if they knew of any stakeholders who had an interest in the development of the safer working guidance for the hospitality sector in England and these stakeholders were included in the consultation process to develop the guidance.

Visual Impairment: Social Distancing

baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government what tailored guidance they have made available to (1) businesses, and (2) service providers, on how to make social distancing accessible for people with sight loss.

lord callanan: The Government considered people with disabilities when developing the safer workplace guidance for businesses.Our guidance does not replace existing employment, health and safety or equalities legislation. It provides information to employers on how best to meet these responsibilities in the context of COVID-19.The safer workplaces guidance provides some suggestions to help employers make their workplaces COVID-19 secure for their employees, visitors and customers. We expect all businesses to approach reopening in a sensible way, taking account of the Government’s guidance and discussing with neighbouring businesses and their local authorities where applicable.

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme: Fraud

lord wills: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to enshrine protection for furlough fraud whistleblowers in law through the Finance Bill.

lord callanan: The Employment Rights Act 1996, amended by the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998, already gives legal protection to those who speak up in the public interest. The legislation is intended to build openness and trust in workplaces by ensuring that workers who hold their employers to account are treated fairly, and to provide means of redress for a worker who suffers detriment at the hands of their employer after ‘blowing the whistle’. In many cases, employers respond appropriately when concerns are raised by their employees. Where they do not, employees can take their case to an Employment Tribunal, who can award compensation. In order to qualify for the protections, a worker must make their disclosure either to their employer or other responsible person or a ‘prescribed person’ as set out in the Prescribed Persons Order. Prescribed persons are most often organisations with a regulatory responsibility for the sector in which the worker works, or for the type of wrongdoing that is being disclosed. Disclosures can also be made to a legal advisor or an MP.

Buildings: Carbon Emissions

baroness boycott: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on (1) the economy, and (2) carbon emissions, of retrofitting all publicly funded and owned buildings to achieve net zero emissions.

lord callanan: The Government carries out full impact assessments when setting the carbon budgets on a path to reaching our 2050 target.The Government publishes national emissions statistics annually[1]. In 2018, the latest year for which data is available, the public sector accounted for 2% of total UK emissions.Decarbonising the public sector will reduce carbon emissions and will contribute to economic growth and the creation of green jobs. The impacts of unmitigated climate change are estimated at 5-20% of global GDP[2] whilst the costs of action to deliver net zero were estimated by the CCC last year[3] as 1-2% of global GDP in 2050 – and that could be partly or fully offset by benefits. The projected cost of reaching net zero has now reduced dramatically because of advances in clean energy and green technology, which we anticipate will continue to fall. [1] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/final-uk-greenhouse-gas-emissions-national-statistics-1990-to-2018[2] The Economics of Climate Change, The Stern Review, 2014[3] https://www.theccc.org.uk/publication/net-zero-the-uks-contribution-to-stopping-global-warming/

Business: Government Assistance

viscount trenchard: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to apply for COVID-19 to be considered an exceptional circumstance under Article 107(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and what assessment they have made of how that could alter the support provided to businesses in the UK.

lord callanan: Aid for COVID-19 related losses may be given under article 107(2)(b) or article 107(3)(b) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). Article 107(2)(b) requires the European Commission to approve aid to make good the damage caused by natural disasters or exceptional occurrences. The Commission declared on 12 March that COVID-19 qualified as an exceptional occurrence. A key feature of this provision is that schemes must only compensate businesses for damages actually suffered as a result of COVID-19. Schemes under this provision must be individually notified to and approved by, the Commission. Under Article 107(3)(b) the Commission may approve aid to remedy a serious disturbance in the economy. Under this article, the Commission has introduced some welcome flexibilities into the rules to deal with the impacts of the COVID-19, in the form of a Temporary Framework. This facilitates aid going to the companies who need it most, quickly and efficiently. When the Government considered its State aid options in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, it took the decision to design schemes that would allow organisations to access funds quickly and easily with a minimal number of checks and balances attached to the application and approval processes. Following work by BEIS officials, the COVID-19 Temporary Framework was approved by the Commission under the Temporary Framework on 6 April. This allows public authorities to introduce their own aid measures without the necessity of obtaining an individual Commission approval. The combination of this and other measures such as the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) and the Self Employed Income Support Scheme constitute an important part of the unprecedented programme of Government support for business to address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Government Departments: Carbon Emissions

baroness whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the process for ensuring that all Departments’ policies comply with the overall aim of carbon reduction and monitoring their implementation.

lord callanan: The UK is a world leader in climate action and clean growth, having reduced emissions faster than any other G7 nation since 1990. Achieving our ambitious net zero target is a priority for the Government. The UK’s Clean Growth Strategy, published in 2017, was informed by all relevant departments, and describes the policies and proposals that will decarbonise the entire UK economy through the 2020s and beyond. My Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister is chairing a new Cabinet committee focused on tackling climate change, discussing how departments can go further and faster in meeting our legally binding 2050 net zero target. We will be setting out further plans in key sectors such as transport, heat and buildings this year. As policies and proposals are developed and implemented, their contribution to reducing emissions and helping us to meet our statutory emissions targets is quantified and published by BEIS in updated “Energy and Emissions Projections”. These projections enable us to monitor progress towards meeting the UK’s carbon budgets and are used to inform policy and analysis across government. More broadly, all regulatory impact assessments for new policies include consideration of their impact in terms of greenhouse gas emissions.

Coronavirus: Research

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps UK Research and Innovation is taking to ensure that appropriate quality controls are placed on rapid-response COVID-19 research.

lord callanan: UKRI has been working at pace to deliver rapid response funding calls including the Joint UKRI-DHSC call launched on 4th February. Although there is a need to work faster than usual given the urgency of the current crisis, UKRI continues to follow existing processes for managing, monitoring, assuring, and reconciling applications and the delivery of funding.

Insolvency: Subsidiary Companies

lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of businesses using pre-pack administration processes to buy back subsidiaries at a discounted rate while failing to repay creditors.

lord callanan: The Insolvency Service has carried out an assessment of the impact of voluntary measures introduced in 2015 to improve transparency and confidence in pre-pack sales to connected parties in administration. The findings will be published in due course. There is some protection in insolvency legislation for unsecured creditors in the form of the “prescribed part”, which is the amount of a company’s assets that must be reserved for the benefit of unsecured creditors when it enters administration.

Insolvency: Tax Havens

lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the use of pre-pack administrations by businesses that have previously extracted large dividends through subsidiaries based in tax havens.

lord callanan: There has been no assessment by Government of the use of pre-pack administrations by businesses that have previously extracted large dividends through subsidiaries based in tax havens. The Insolvency Service has, however, carried out an assessment of the impact of voluntary measures introduced in 2015 to improve transparency and confidence in pre-pack sales in administration. The findings will be published in due course.

Insolvency: Small Businesses

lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of pre-pack administrations on SME creditors.

lord callanan: The Government has not carried out a specific assessment of the impact of prepacks on SMEs. However, the Insolvency Service has reviewed the impact of voluntary measures introduced in 2015 to improve transparency and confidence in pre-pack sales in administration, including the impact on creditors and its findings will be issued in due course.

Insolvency

lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to address the Pre Pack Pool Oversight Group’s suggestion that the Pre Pack Pool is “unsustainable” unless referrals of pre-pack sales to the Pool are made mandatory.

lord callanan: There has been a very low number of referrals to the Pre-Pack Pool which was set up by industry to provide opinions on a voluntary basis on pre-pack sales in administration to connected parties. However, the Government continues to work with regulators and industry stakeholders to discuss options for strengthening the professional standards for insolvency practitioners to give greater assurance to creditors where a sale is to a connected party.

Insolvency

lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to make it mandatory for large businesses to notify the Pre Pack Pool of proposed Pre-pack administration deals.

lord callanan: The Insolvency Service continues to work with regulators and industry stakeholders to discuss options for strengthening the professional standards for insolvency practitioners and give greater assurance to creditors where a sale in a prepack administration is to a connected party.

Insolvency

lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the effectiveness of the Pre Pack Pool, and (2) the proportion of eligible cases being referred for review dropping to 10 per cent, according to the Pre-Pack Pool’s latest Annual Report.

lord callanan: The Pre-Pack Pool is one of a number of voluntary measures introduced in November 2015 to improve transparency and confidence in pre-pack sales in administration. The Insolvency Service has carried out an assessment of the impact of these measures and will publish its findings in due course.

Business: Government Assistance

lord holmes of richmond: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the request by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on 15 June for organisations and individuals to submit their own responses to the questions asked by the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy in the economic recovery roundtables, how many responses they received to that request; how many of those responses focused on the use of private sector investment in research and development; and what plans they have to publish (1) the responses, and (2) their assessment of those responses, to that request. [T]

lord callanan: To date, the Department has received over 450 documents from 285 stakeholders across the UK. We are working through these inputs, which will inform the Government’s thinking. Several responses refer to the importance of private sector investment as a key lever for economic recovery and the critical role of Government in facilitating private R&D investment. We shall make further information available in due course.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Aviation: Coronavirus

lord empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they were consulted, or advised, by the government of the Republic of Ireland on that country's policy that passengers travelling from Great Britain to the Republic of Ireland would be subject to quarantine restrictions in Ireland.

baroness sugg: Given our close relationship with the Irish Government we have regular conversations about emerging policy responses, including ahead of Ireland's decision to introduce a fourteen-day quarantine for all travellers coming into Ireland from 26 April. We continue to remain in regular contact at the highest levels with the Government of Ireland on our joint response to the Covid-19 pandemic, including discussions on the public health measures at the border.

Turkey: Political Prisoners

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to call for the release of Musa Farisogullari, and other political prisoners, following the release of Leyla Gὕven in Turkey.

baroness sugg: We regularly raise our human rights concerns with the Turkish authorities at the highest level, particularly around detentions, freedom of expression and association. We continue to urge the authorities to ensure that all detainees, including former parliamentarians, are treated in accordance with relevant international human rights standards such as access to legal representation and medical care. We will continue to engage the Turkish Government on these important issues. We are clear in our expectation that Turkey, like all countries, should live up to its human rights obligations towards all its citizens.

Syria: Armed Conflict

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Turkey about reports that Turkish forces and associates in Afrin Canton of Syria set fire to farm and woodland, destroying 3000 olive trees.

baroness sugg: Ministers and officials regularly discuss the situation in Syria with the Government of Turkey. In those discussions we make clear the importance of all parties to the Syrian conflict abiding by their obligations under international law. We have not raised the specific report of fires in Afrin.

Nigeria: Violence

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the APPG for International Freedom of Religion or Belief Nigeria: Unfolding Genocide, published on 15 June.

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what financial, technical and capacity building support they intend to offer to the government of Nigeria to implement the recommendations of the report by the APPG for International Freedom of Religion or Belief Nigeria: Unfolding Genocide, published on 15 June.

baroness sugg: We welcome the APPG's report and the detailed analysis it provides on the complex issues of intercommunal violence across multiple states of Nigeria and acts of terrorism committed by Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa in North East Nigeria. The UK Government strongly condemns all acts of violence in Nigeria. We are considering the report and its recommendations in detail and the Minister for Africa, James Duddridge, will provide a full response in due course.

Nigeria: Violence

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they plan to have with the government of Nigeria about the implementation of the National Livestock Transformation Plan to help reduce the conflict involving farmers and herders in Nigeria.

baroness sugg: The UK worked closely with international partners to provide technical support to the Vice President's office to develop the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP). The NLTP sets out a long-term approach to transition towards more sedentary forms of cattle-rearing and explicitly addresses some of the factors underpinning intercommunal violence. The plan is being implemented in eight Middle Belt states. A number of other states have expressed interest and we are encouraging their adoption of the plan. The High Commission will continue to encourage adoption of the NLTP in discussions at all levels of the Nigerian Government, including with state governments.

Nigeria: Religion

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce mandatory training for Foreign and Commonwealth Office staff in Nigeria on (1) identifying patterns of discrimination and conflict with religious characteristics, and (2) the interaction of religion and religious actors with specific societal and conflict contexts.

baroness sugg: Our staff are encouraged to develop an understanding of religion and its role within society, including in conflict situations and in countries like Nigeria where religion is important to most people's identity. Specific training on religion is available to all staff through the FCO's Diplomatic Academy. In addition, our Nigerian local staff provide first-hand insight into the role of religion and religious actors within Nigerian society, including conflicts affecting the country. We also use expertise from the FCO's Africa Research Group and conflict-prevention experts.We are now working on an enhanced training offer related to religion as part of our commitment to implement the recommendations made in the Bishop of Truro's independent review. This work is being led by the Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief, Rehman Chishti MP.

Sahel: Violence

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with Member States of the UNabout (1) resolving (a) conflict, and (b) persecution, across the Sahel region, and (2) addressing jihadist ideology underpinning continuing attacks.

baroness sugg: The UK is deeply concerned about the deteriorating security situation in the Sahel and recognizes violent extremist groups are benefiting from instability in the region. We are committed to working with the G5 Sahel countries and international partners to tackle the long-term drivers of instability, including factors that push local populations towards violent extremist groups. The UK also condemns attacks targeting particular religions or ethnic communities. Nobody should live in fear because of their identity or beliefs. The UK's commitment to the region was reiterated in a statement given on 5 June at the UN Security Council, where we strongly condemned violent extremist attacks, and called for all parties to respect international humanitarian law and ensure the protection of civilians. Later this year, the UK will be deploying to the UN peacekeeping mission MINUSMA. We are currently engaging with UN members on MINUSMA's mandate renewal to ensure the mission continues to support progress on the Mali Peace Process, helps contribute to stabilisation particularly in the Centre of Mali, and encourages effective and meaningful participation of women in the political process and peacekeeping efforts.The Minister for Africa, James Duddridge, attended the first meeting of the Sahel Alliance General Assembly and the sixth Summit of the G5 Leaders (Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger) in Mauritania on 25 February and the virtual ministerial meeting of the Coalition for the Sahel on 12 June. At the meetings, he reaffirmed the UK's efforts to improve security and encourage development in the Sahel. As well as our upcoming MINUSMA deployment, the UK is supporting security efforts in the region through non-combat assistance to the French-led counter-terrorism mission Operation BARKHANE, in the form of three CH47 chinook helicopters. The UK is also committed to helping the G5 Sahel Joint Force reach full operational capability - bilateral funding has gone towards the provision of non-lethal military equipment and support for the human rights compliance framework. Our humanitarian and development programmes provide life-saving assistance to those most in need, help ensure the protection of civilians, and contribute to improving long-term governance and stability in the region.

Nigeria: Violence

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to identify NGOs who are running effective programmes to deter attacks on (1) farming communities, and (2) religious minorities, in Nigeria; and what plans they have to improve the ability of these NGOs to scale up their programmes.

baroness sugg: We are deeply concerned by the intercommunal violence in Nigeria and the devastating impact which this has had on affected communities, including heavy loss of life. We continue to call for a solution that meets the needs of all the communities affected. DFID is designing a programme to address natural resource conflicts between farmers and herders, which may include support to non-governmental organisations.Staff from the British High Commission in Abuja are actively engaged on the ground. The British High Commissioner to Nigeria along with staff visited Plateau State in December 2019 to discuss the situation with the Governor and Christian and Muslim faith leaders. They also met NGOs working on reconciliation to discuss the situation and efforts to address it.

Nigeria: Religion

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have tointroduce mandatory training for (1) Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and (2) Department for International Development, staff, in Nigeria on (a) patterns of discrimination and conflict with religious characteristics, and(b) how religion and religious actors interact with the societal context.

baroness sugg: Our staff are encouraged to develop an understanding of religion and its role within society, including in conflict situations and in countries like Nigeria where religion is important to most people's identity. Specific training on religion is available to all staff through the FCO's Diplomatic Academy. In addition, our Nigerian local staff provide first-hand insight into the role of religion and religious actors within Nigerian society, including conflicts affecting the country. We also use expertise from the FCO's Africa Research Group and conflict-prevention experts.We are now working on an enhanced training offer related to religion as part of our commitment to implement the recommendations made in the Bishop of Truro's independent review. This work is being led by the Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief, Rehman Chishti MP.

Leah Sharibu

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they last made representations to the government of Nigeria on the abduction of Leah Sharibu; and what response they received.

baroness sugg: The Government has repeatedly called for the release of all those abducted by Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa (ISWA), including Leah Sharibu. The Prime Minister discussed UK support for fighting terrorism in Nigeria with President Buhari at the UK Africa Investment Summit in January. The Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief met Leah's mother in February to express the UK's continued commitment to help Nigeria secure the release of all abductees. The Nigerian Government has provided assurances that they are doing all they can to secure the release of Leah and others kidnapped. President Buhari issued a statement in February, reiterating his Government's commitment to bring Leah home safely. We will continue to engage with the Government of Nigeria in support of urgent action to secure the return of Leah Sharibu and all abductees.

International Organisations: Religion

lord brooke of alverthorpe: To ask Her Majesty's Government which intergovernmental agencies in which they participate involve representatives of churches and faith organisations.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK Government participates in a large number of intergovernmental bodies including but not limited to the UN. Many of these bodies involve churches and faith organisations in their work and discussions in one capacity or another, whether regularly or periodically. We believe that faith and belief leaders have a valuable role to play in in promoting Freedom of Religion or Belief and in other areas particularly in regards to other human rights issues and we will continue to work with them both within intergovernmental bodies and elsewhere.

China: India

baroness northover: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made ofthe recent conflict on the border of India and China; what discussions they have had with other governments about that conflict; and whether they intend to take any action in response.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are monitoring closely the recent border tensions between China and India, which resulted in the confirmed deaths of 20 Indian soldiers in the Galwan Valley on 15 June. The status of the India-China border is a bilateral issue and we encourage the two sides to engage in dialogue on this. We welcome the call between Foreign Ministers Wang Yi and Jaishankar on 17 June and the agreement that both sides would take steps to de-escalate.

Pakistan: Forced Marriage

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Pakistan about tackling forced conversions and marriages of religious minority girls and women in Pakistan; and what plans they have to raise forced conversion, forced marriages, abductions and abuse of religious minority women and girls at the next Universal Periodic Review of Pakistan and in other relevant forums.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We remain concerned about the human rights situation in Pakistan, including reports of abuses and violence directed against women and children. We are concerned about ongoing reports of forced marriage and forced conversion of Hindu, Christian and Sikh women and girls. The British Government strongly condemns the forced marriage and forced conversion of women and girls from religious minorities in Pakistan. We regularly raise our concerns about the protection of minority communities, including religious minorities, with the Pakistani Government at a senior level. Most recently, I raised our concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief with Pakistan's Minister for Human Rights, Dr Shireen Mazari, on 5 June. The British High Commissioner to Pakistan met Pakistan's Minister for Human Rights on 8 June and raised our concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief in Pakistan.The UK raised concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief at Pakistan's UN Universal Periodic Review of human rights in November 2017 and pressed Pakistan to strengthen its protection of minorities. We will continue to urge the Government of Pakistan to guarantee the rights of all people in Pakistan, particularly the most vulnerable, including women, minorities and children, as laid down in the Constitution of Pakistan and in accordance with international standards.

Attorney General

National Fund

baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Keen of Elie on 17 March (HL2334), when they first became aware of a request from a relative of the donor to return the money in the National Fund to the family; and whether they intend to make any change to the Attorney General's application to release the funds as a result.

lord keen of elie: In October 2019 the Attorney General’s Office was contacted by representatives of an individual who claimed to be a descendent of the anonymous donor that established the National Fund. They also claimed that the trust was void ab initio and that unless the court finds that the donor had a “paramount charitable intent”, the Fund belongs to his residuary estate. The individual subsequently applied to join the proceedings initiated by the Attorney General in May 2018, in order to represent the interests of all persons who are or may be or become entitled to share in the residuary estate of the donor. In January 2020 the Court ordered that this individual be joined to the proceedings and that they serve evidence in support of their claim. The Attorney General remains of the view that the trust establishing the National Fund is valid and its purposes exclusively charitable. It is now for the High Court to determine the individual’s claims and decide whether the terms of the charitable trust should be varied as sought by the Attorney General. If the Attorney General’s application is successful the money in the fund will be paid over to the National Debt Commissioners towards the reduction of the national debt. The hearing in the High Court is scheduled for October 2020.

Department of Health and Social Care

Hospitals: Discharges

baroness thornton: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people were discharged from hospital to care homes in England in each of the last 12 weeks; and how many of those people had been tested for COVID-19. [T]

lord bethell: At the beginning of June 2020, NHS England published an analysis of hospital discharges to care homes between 30 January 2020 and 16 April 2020, with a comparison to care home discharged from the same period in 2019. A copy of this analysis is attached, due to the size of the data. The information on how many of those people had tested for COVID-19 is not currently published to the level of detail requested.As of 1 June, there had been 153,836 lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in England.



Hospital discharges to care homes analysis
(Excel SpreadSheet, 43.74 KB)

NHS: Protective Clothing

lord wigley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many contracts for the provision of personal protective equipment, needed to safeguard health and care workers against coronavirus, the National Health Service in England has placed with the Royal Mint; and whether the basis of charging for such orders has included any profit mark-up, over and above the full cost of manufacture

lord bethell: We have entered into one contract with the Royal Mint. This was for face visors and the Royal Mint expressed they were not making a profit but providing them at cost price to the Department.Procurement Regulations require the publication of Contract Award Notices, containing information on the final agreed value of the contract, in the Official Journal of the European Union and we publish certain information on Contracts Finder about contracts awarded.

Protective Clothing: China

lord wigley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many consignments of personal protection equipment have been received by the UK, or by any individual nations of the UK, from the People’s Republic of China.

lord bethell: In March 2020 a new, dedicated unit was set up to focus on securing supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE). This unit identified PPE suppliers from across the globe to meet the increasing demand for a growing list of PPE products. We have now contracted with over 150 suppliers able to deliver at the scale and pace the United Kingdom requires. The central database system for these new PPE contracts, implemented by Cabinet Office colleagues, does not identify non-UK suppliers by individual country; and many of the UK-based suppliers also import supplies from other countries for which the information is not held centrally. It is therefore not possible to supply complete information on how much PPE has been received or purchased from non-UK countries, including China. Procurement Regulations require the publication of Contract Award Notices in the Official Journal of the European Union and certain information will be published on Contracts Finder about the contracts awarded.

NHS and Social Services: Protective Clothing

lord harris of haringey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the average quantity of personal protective equipment required on a daily basis by (1) the NHS, and (2) the social care sector, broken down by type of equipment; and if they have not made such an assessment, why not.

lord bethell: The Government published Coronavirus (COVID-19): personal protective equipment (PPE) plan on 10 April. It incorporates guidance on who needs PPE and when they need it, routes to ensure those who need it can get it at the right time and sets out actions to secure enough PPE to last through the crisis. A copy is attached.We have built models which forecast demand. These models cover a range of possible scenarios and have developed over time as additional information on the prevalence and impact of COVID-19 became available and as guidance on PPE has been updated. We work closely with the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies to ensure they are underpinned by the latest science.We are working around the clock to give the social care sector and wider National Health Service the equipment and support they need to tackle this outbreak. 



COVID 19 PPE Plan
(PDF Document, 1.25 MB)

Learning Disability: Death

baroness hollins: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many deaths have been reported within learning disability services since 5 March, broken down by (1) race, (2) age, and (3) gender, compared with the equivalent period last year. [T]

lord bethell: NHS England can confirm that five people with a learning disability, autism or both have died within a specialist inpatient setting between 5 March and 30 April 2020, the latest data available. This includes people who were transferred from a specialist inpatient setting to an acute setting and subsequently died. In the same period last year less than five people died within a specialist inpatient setting. NHS England hold demographic data on gender, age and ethnicity of these patients, but cannot provide them due to the low patient numbers leading to a high chance of patient identification.Public Health England are undertaking a thorough analysis of data on the deaths of people with learning disabilities, including looking at age, gender and ethnicity of people who have died. This will draw on data published by NHS England and the Care Quality Commission to understand the impact of COVID-19 on this group of people and the specific risks that they may face from the virus.

Care Homes: Coronavirus

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many patients have been discharged from NHS hospitals to care homes since 19 March.

lord bethell: On 2 June, NHS England published data that showed 22,497 patients were discharged from hospitals in England to registered care homes and hospices between 19 March 2020 and 16 April 2020. We do not currently have access to data post-16 April 2020. The data is based on day of discharge and excludes privately funded people discharged from privately run hospitals to care homes.It is our priority to ensure that everyone is discharged safely from hospital and to the most appropriate available place.

Social Distancing

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to communicate with those groups most likely to break social distancing guidelines.

lord bethell: The Government's COVID-19 public information campaign has evolved throughout the course of the pandemic. Campaign activity is informed by a solid evidence base and delivered across a range of channels and formats to maximise the reach of messaging and the adoption of critical public health actions. This includes tailored and upweighted activity for audiences who need additional motivation or support to adhere to social distancing guidelines.The campaign has included television, digital and social media, press, radio, outdoor posters, PR and partnership activity in all four nations of the United Kingdom. We have also used daily press briefings, SMS texts and a letter from the Prime Minister to all households in the UK.

Coronavirus: Children

lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of scientific evidence for allowing children living with a single parent to visit grandparents living together, but not children who live with both parents.

lord bethell: We understand that social distancing has been difficult for many, but especially those who currently live alone, or are the only adult in a household. We have amended COVID-19 social distancing regulations to allow a single adult household to form a support bubble with one other household. Groups of up to six people are still able to meet outdoors as long as they follow social distancing guidelines.The Government made this change to support the loneliest and most isolated in society. It is a targeted intervention to provide extra support to some of those most impacted by the most difficult effects of the current social restrictions, while ensuring we continue to keep the rate of transmission low.

Care Homes: Coronavirus

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many care home residents who were admitted to hospital on, or after, 1 April with suspected, or confirmed, COVID-19, died in hospital.

lord bethell: The data is not available in the format requested.Data is collected on hospital admissions from care homes and will be published for April 2020 at the end of June 2020. Data is also collected for the number of people who have died in hospital from COVID-19 and this is reported online by NHS England on a daily basis. However, we are not able to correlate the two data sets in the format requested.

Visual Impairment: Social Distancing

lord judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government how (1) access, and (2) other needs, of blind and partially sighted people will be guaranteed in the future operation of any restrictions in place to address the COVID-19 pandemic, with particular reference to the difficulties in distinguishing floor markings and judging distance.

lord bethell: The Government are committed to supporting blind and partially sighted people through every stage of the COVID-19 pandemic and are working across Government to ensure that all disabled people are able to get the support they need. The steps we are taking include working across Government on the accessibility of COVID-19 public health information guidance and other reasonable adjustments that may be needed for disabled people during the pandemic, including blind and partially sighted people.We are working to make sure that local authorities consider the needs of disabled people, particularly in relation to implementing social distancing measures in their areas such as adapting the high street and adding floor markings.

World Health Organisation: Social Distancing

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of reported flaws in the study by the World Health Organisation about the risks posed by reducing social distancing to one metre.

lord bethell: The Government commissioned a review into the two metre (six feet) social distancing rule and took advice from a range of experts, including the Chief Medical Officer, Chief Scientific Advisor, behavioural scientists and economists to ensure that it comprehensively examined how the two metre rule works in practice, the evidence around transmission of the virus in different environments, incidence rates, and international comparisons.Given the significant fall in the prevalence of the virus, the Prime Minister has announced that we can change the two metre social distancing rule from 4 July to a ‘one metre plus’ approach. This means members of the public can be one metre away from each other while other measures are put in place to limit the transmission of the virus. Where it is possible to keep two metres apart people should continue to do so.

Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman

baroness gale: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the suspension of new Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman investigations on the mental health of (1) informal carers, and (2) people accessing social care.

lord bethell: The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has restarted suspended complaints and anticipates reopening for new complaints in the coming weeks. Members of the public will not lose their right of appeal, and complaints regarding the COVID-19 outbreak period will be considered in due course. The Ombudsman is not an emergency service, and members of the public are required by law to first have their complaints investigated by their council or care provider. The Ombudsman has also opened up a helpline to give advice and support to concerned members of the public.

Health Services: Immigrants

baroness bennett of manor castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will end the Immigration Health Surcharge; whether workers who have paid the fee since the announcement on 21 May will be reimbursed and, if so, when reimbursements will be made.

lord bethell: The Department of Health and Social Care and the Home Office are working at pace to deliver the exemption. Any National Health Service or care workers that have paid the surcharge since the Prime Minister’s announcement on 21 May will receive a refund and further announcements will be made shortly.

Health Services: Immigrants

lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) when the immigration healthcare surcharge for health and care workers and their families will be removed, (2) whether those who have already paid the surcharge in the current year will receive a refund, and (3) whether any such refund will be backdated to the day on which the Prime Minister made the announcement that the surcharge would be removed.

lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether future health and social care workers and their families will be required to pay the immigration healthcare surcharge.

lord bethell: The Department of Health and Social Care and the Home Office are working at pace to deliver this exemption. Any National Health Service or care worker that has paid the surcharge since the Prime Minister’s announcement on 21 May will receive a refund. We will announce further details on the scope of the arrangements shortly.

Department for International Development

Libya: Coronavirus

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken in response to the appeal by the Libyan National Centre for Disease Control for ventilators and other medical supplies to counter COVID-19.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK remains concerned about the violent conflict in Libya, the impact this has on the humanitarian situation and implications for COVID-19 response. The UK is supporting the COVID-response in Libya, including through support for online information dissemination; supporting Social Peace Partnerships in over 12 municipalities to deliver awareness-raising campaigns, mobilise production of face masks and personal protective equipment (PPE), and delivery of food to vulnerable families; and supporting reporting and analysis on the COVID-19 situation.We continue to work closely with WHO and the humanitarian community in Libya to ensure that international funding and expertise are effectively deployed during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Palestinians: Health Services

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking, if any, to ensure that health services in Palestine have sufficient medical facilities and expertise in (1) the West Bank, and (2) Gaza, to enable those services to care forthose with serious medical problems withoutthe need to enter Israeli territory for treatment.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK has pledged £764 million to support the global humanitarian response to COVID-19. We have delivered additional vital support in the Occupied Palestinian Territories by providing funding to the World Health Organization and UNICEF to purchase and co-ordinate the delivery of medical equipment, treat critical care patients, train frontline public health personnel and scale up laboratory testing capacity. Minister Cleverly also recently announced £20 million in new funding, which will help the Palestinian Authority support its health workers who have been on the frontline battling coronavirus and who help deliver life-saving medical services.We also provided around £16 million in humanitarian assistance in 2019/20 to alleviate humanitarian and health needs in the OPTs. This included establishing a centralised surgical multi-disciplinary limb reconstruction unit, strengthening trauma care, enhancing the ambulance system, and training paramedics and frontline providers in Gaza. Our funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) also helps provide health services for around 3.5 million people in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Department for International Trade: Coronavirus

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of how the international aid response to COVID-19 will be affected by the merger of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development.

baroness sugg: The Government remains fully focused on stopping the spread of COVID-19 and saving lives. We are using UK aid to its full effect to counter the health, humanitarian and economic risks and impact of this pandemic in the developing world.Through aligning our efforts, we will maximise our influence and expertise and ensure we are in the best position to continue to drive the international response to the pandemic – funding the development of a vaccine and supporting the global recovery.

Department for Education

Climate Change: Education

baroness boycott: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whetherthe education system adequately reflects the challenges presented by climate change in terms of (1) the curriculum, (2) teacher training, and (3) the energy efficiency of educational facilities.

baroness berridge: It is vital that young people are taught about climate change. For this reason, related topics are included throughout both the science and geography curricula and GCSEs. In primary science and geography, pupils are given a firm foundation for the further study of the environment in secondary school. For example, in primary science pupils are taught about how environments can change as a result of human actions. They will learn about animals’ habitats, including that changes to the environment may pose dangers to living things.In secondary science, pupils are taught about the production of carbon dioxide by human activity and the effect this has on the climate. This is expanded on in GCSE science where pupils will consider the evidence for additional anthropogenic causes of climate change. As part of GCSE geography pupils will look at the causes, consequences of and responses to extreme weather conditions and natural weather hazards. In 2017, we also introduced a new environmental science A level. This will enable students to study topics that will support their understanding of climate change and how it can be tackled.School and teachers can go beyond the topics set out in the national curriculum, or do more in-depth teaching of these topic areas, if they so wish.We are supporting recruitment and retention of teachers in these subjects to ensure that schools have the expertise to teach topics relating to climate change effectively. In science, trainee teachers are offered bursaries of £26,000 and scholarships of £28,000 to attract top science graduates into teaching. New physics and chemistry teachers will soon be offered early-career payments of up to £9,000 during their first four years of teaching. We also fund Subject Knowledge Enhancement (SKE) courses for geography and the sciences. These are courses designed to help applicants gain the depth of subject knowledge needed to train to teach their chosen subject.The new Initial Teacher Training (ITT) Core Content Framework, published 1 November 2019, sets out a core minimum entitlement for all trainees of what should be covered during their teacher training, irrespective of subject or phase. The government does not prescribe the curriculum of ITT or SKE courses and it remains for individual providers to design curricula appropriate for the subject, phase and age range that the trainees will be teaching. Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) will continue to be awarded at the end of ITT against the Teachers’ Standards, which includes secure knowledge of relevant subjects and curriculum areas.We also support energy efficiency in educational facilities through our capital funding and programmes, both to reduce the carbon footprint and save schools money on energy. We have allocated almost £9 billion in condition funding since 2015 to maintain and improve school buildings. Condition funding can be invested in projects which improve energy efficiency. In addition, interest free loans for energy efficiency projects have been made available through the government backed Salix finance scheme.

Education: Buildings

baroness boycott: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the proposals set out in Teach the Future’s Green Recovery for Education initiative; and whether retrofitting educational buildings will be included as a priority in (1) the national infrastructure strategy, and (2) the COVID-19 recovery strategy.

baroness boycott: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential for all new state-funded educational buildings to be net-zero from 2022 and all existing state-funded educational buildings to be retrofitted to net-zero by 2030.

baroness berridge: The department supports sustainability through its capital funding programmes, both to reduce carbon and save schools and the wider education estate money on energy.We have allocated almost £9 billion in condition funding since 2015 to maintain and improve school buildings. In addition, the Priority School Building Programme is rebuilding or refurbishing school buildings in the worst condition across the country, covering over 500 schools.Condition funding can be invested in projects which improve energy efficiency. In addition, interest free loans for energy efficiency projects are available through the government backed Salix finance scheme. More broadly, we are working with colleagues across government on carbon reduction and energy efficiency, and we are developing thinking on how future school capital programmes can contribute further.Like all departments, we are doing a great deal of preparatory work to understand what resources the education sector needs over the coming years, including as part of the wider response to COVID-19.

Higher Education: Coronavirus

lord fox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to encourage those who have lost work as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic to develop new skills through part-time higher education.

lord fox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the benefits of providing greater financial support for learners on shorter higher education courses.

baroness berridge: The government recognises the importance of studying part-time and the benefits that it can bring to individuals, employers and the wider economy, including the opportunities it can provide to develop new skills, which will be especially important in the recovery from the COVID-19 outbreak. In recent years, we have made a number of changes to support part-time and mature learners. Students who started a part-time degree level course from 1 August 2018 onwards are able to access full-time equivalent maintenance loans. We have removed the “equivalent or lower qualification” restrictions, for all science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) part-time degree courses. Students on these courses who already hold a degree can now access support through student loans. We have also made funding available through the teaching grant to providers to recognise the additional costs of part-time study. Evidence shows that shorter, accelerated degree courses appeal to those who want to retrain and to enter the workplace more quickly than a traditional course would permit. Graduating one year sooner means that accelerated degree students have one less year of tuition fees and save on the living costs of the final year of standard degree study. If a student is required to attend their course for more than 30 weeks and 3 days in an academic year (which is very common for accelerated degree courses), they can apply for a means-tested Long Courses Loan in addition to the standard loan for living costs. The Independent Panel led by Philip Augar, set up to provide input into the Review of Post 18 Education and Funding, considered different ways to support learners who want to study higher education more flexibly. The government is considering the Independent Panel’s report carefully but has not yet taken decisions with regards to the recommendations put forward. The government will conclude the review alongside the next Spending Review.

History: Education

lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to add the history of the slave trade to the school curriculum.

baroness berridge: The history curriculum gives teachers and schools the freedom and flexibility to use specific examples from history to teach pupils about the history of Britain and the wider world. Schools and teachers can determine which examples, topics and resources to use to stimulate and challenge pupils and reflect key points in history.There are opportunities within the themes and eras of the history curriculum for teachers and schools to teach the history of the slave trade at key stages 1 to 3. Schools can teach it at key stage 1, when teaching about events beyond living memory that are significant nationally or globally or the lives of significant individuals in the past who have contributed to national and international achievements; at key stage 2, when teaching about the Roman Empire and its impact on Britain, or a study of an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066 ; and at key stage 3, where within the theme “ideas, political power, industry and empire: Britain, 1745-1901” a specific example is given of “Britain’s transatlantic slave trade: its effects and its eventual abolition”. The local history study element within each key stage offers opportunities to teach about the slave trade in relation to Britain. The slave trade also falls within the scope of the subject content set out for GCSE History.

Home Education: Standards

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, if any, to improve homeschooling curriculums for publicly-funded schools.

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of the Children's Commissioner's Office preliminary research on homeschooling which found that 27.8 per cent of children age 12 and under are spending one to two hours on schoolwork each day.

baroness berridge: Our latest guidance on remote education during the COVID-19 outbreak is available here:www.gov.uk/guidance/remote-education-during-coronavirus-covid-19.It is up to each school to determine how to deliver education to its pupils and whether and how to monitor participation. We recognise that many schools have shared resources – both online and printed resources – for children who are at home; and we are committed to ensuring that all children can continue to learn remotely in a number of ways during these very difficult circumstances.We are supporting sector-led initiatives such as the Oak National Academy. This new enterprise has been created by 40 teachers from schools across England. It is providing at least 180 video lessons for free each week, across a broad range of subjects, for every year group from Reception through to year 10. Oak’s lessons follow a clear and sequenced curriculum, their curriculum plan is published on their website for schools to use as they choose. By 14 June, 3.4 million unique users had accessed the Oak National Academy website and 11.9 million lessons had been viewed.Additionally, the BBC has developed resources for families as part of a comprehensive new education package, which is now available on TV and online at BBC Bitesize.The department has worked with schools to develop guidance based on the current experiences and practices of teachers and school leaders, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/remote-education-practice-for-schools-during-coronavirus-covid-19.The government has also committed over £100 million to boost remote education, this includes providing devices and internet access for those who need it most, ensuring every school that wants it has access to free, expert technical support to get set up on Google for Education or Microsoft’s Office 365 Education, and offering peer support from schools and colleges leading the way with the use of education technology.These are rapidly developing circumstances; we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.

Ministry of Justice

Recycling Lives

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the work of Recycling Lives, in particular in regard to the steps it has taken in relation to (1) training and employment for ex-offenders, and (2) food poverty; and what plans they have to extend such schemes to more prisons.

lord keen of elie: The New Futures Network, which brokers partnerships between prisons and employers, supports Recycling Lives to build partnerships with prisons, with the objective of securing work opportunities for individuals serving sentences in custody and those leaving prison. Sustainable employment and suitable educational opportunities are key factors to reducing reoffending and in turning offenders’ lives around.The potential for any extension of such schemes will be dependent on a positive assessment of their practicality and contractual feasibility.

Prisons: Restraint Techniques

lord german: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many ‘use of force incidents’ have occurred on the prison estate in each month of the last 12-month period for which data are available.

lord german: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many times PAVA spray has been used (1) in total, and (2) against BAME prisoners, on the prison estate since it’s rollout; what proportion of the total prison population are BAME; and what analysis they have undertaken to ensure proportionate use of that spray.

lord german: To ask Her Majesty's Government what safeguards are in place to ensure against the inappropriate use of PAVA spray.

lord keen of elie: The below table is the total number of use of force incidents from April 2019 to March 2020. This data is collated from management information and due to how the data is validated it may not tally with official statistics.PeriodTotalApr 20195415May 20195746Jun 20195489Jul 20195422Aug 20195264Sep 20195172Oct 20195888Nov 20195202Dec 20194858Jan 20205591Feb 20205487Mar 20205577 We have been introducing PAVA to the adult male estate to help protect staff and prisoners from incidents where there is serious violence, or an imminent or perceived risk of serious violence.Since the roll out of PAVA began in April 2019, it has been used on 81 prisoners. It has been drawn (but not used) on 36 individuals, totalling 117 prisoners.The table below shows the number of times PAVA has been drawn or used, broken down by ethnicity. Revised guidance on PAVA guidance was issued in April and the first prison outside the pilot began using PAVA in August. Therefore, data between April and July will only reflect usage at the pilot sites (HMPs Risley, Hull, Preston and Wealstun) EthnicityDeployedDrawnTotalAsian/Asian British5~~Black/Black British10717Mixed336White522476Not recorded11~~Total8136117 The ‘not recorded’ category includes those prisoners who do not disclose their ethnicity on reception into custody.Prisoners from BAME backgrounds made up 27% of all prisoners. In March 2019, prisoners who declared themselves in the White ethnic group made up almost three quarters (59,911 or 73%) of the prison population in England and Wales. Prisoners who declared their ethnicity as Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic (BAME) represented 22,227 (or 27%) of all prisoners.PAVA is just one of many tools we give to prison officers to help them do their job more safely, alongside body worn video cameras training, and rigid bar handcuffs. Above all, we know that one of the most effective tools in managing people safely is the interpersonal skills of our staff.HMPPS is committed and duty bound to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation, advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not and to foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.In response to the Lammy Review, we are updating the training we give to officers to raise awareness among all staff of how biases can affect decision making, and strategies to combat these.PAVA, as with any use of force, must always only be used if necessary and proportionate to the seriousness of the circumstances. The application of physical techniques, or the use of PAVA, is to be used only when other methods not involving force have been repeatedly tried and failed, or are judged unlikely to succeed, and action needs to be taken to prevent serious injury or harm to prisoners or staff.Quality assurance and scrutiny of incidents is vital to ensuring that force is used legally and appropriately. Governors will be expected to ensure that scrutiny takes place after any drawing and/or use of PAVA. We have developed a toolkit of resources to assist prisons in maintaining effective scrutiny.

Probation: Third Sector

lord german: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the bidding process for third sector bodies to provide probation services will be conducted on a national or a regional basis.

lord german: To ask Her Majesty's Government what role Clinks will play in the Dynamic Framework for the provision of probation services.

lord german: To ask Her Majesty's Government what specialist rehabilitation services they plan to make available to third sector organisations.

lord german: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the statement by Lord Keen of Elie on 16 June (HL Deb, col 2029), whether they will lay before the House a copy of the dynamic framework for specialist rehabilitative services.

lord keen of elie: In his statement to the House of Commons on 11th June 2020, the Lord Chancellor confirmed plans for a Probation Services Dynamic Framework through which the National Probation Service and other public bodies can commission rehabilitative and resettlement services. It opened on 11th June for registration by prospective suppliers with an interest in provision of one or more of 14 service categories.Our plans for the first set of contracts to be commissioned through the Framework reflect our assessment of the relative distribution of offender needs, the availability of existing local provision, and the capacity of both the third sector and HMPPS (in light of the impact of COVID-19) to complete call-off competitions and mobilise services in time for the start of future arrangements in June 2021. These contracts will be commissioned for delivery at police force or probation region level. We initially intend to run competitions for lots which cover the following Probation Services Dynamic Framework service categories:• Accommodation• Employment, training, and education• Family and significant others• Lifestyle and associates• Emotional wellbeing• Social inclusion• Women• Young adults (in Wales only)Of these, accommodation and employment, training and education services will be commissioned at NPS regional level. All others will be commissioned at Police Force Area level.As we finalise the detail of these plans, Ministers and members of the Probation Reform Programme team will continue to meet regularly with voluntary sector organisations to seek their feedback on our plans. Officials are supporting workshops which will be run by Clinks and which will cover a range of topics linked to participation in the Probation Services Dynamic Framework, including consortia building, to aid voluntary sector organisations in their bids for contracts.I will place a copy of the Framework in the library of the House.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Housing: Standards

lord foster of bath: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord Duncan of Springbankon 7 February (HL Deb, col 2001), whatsteps they are taking to ensure the Future Homes Standard will apply to (1) houses under construction in 2025, and (2) sites where planning permission has been granted but construction has not yet started.

lord greenhalgh: The Government remains committed to meeting its target of net zero emissions by 2050 and recognises the important contribution that the energy efficiency of buildings has to make in meeting it. In October 2019, we launched the first stage of a two-part consultation on Part L and Part F of the Building Regulations. We proposed an ambitious uplift in the energy efficiency of new homes through the introduction of a Future Homes Standard from 2025. We expect that homes built to the Future Homes Standard will have carbon dioxide emissions 75-80 per cent lower than those built to current Building Regulations standards, which means they will be fit for the future, with low carbon heating and very high fabric standards.Transitional arrangements apply when changes to the Building Regulations or approved standards take place. They provide developers with assurance about the standards to which they must build, and ensure that they should not have to make material amendments to work which is already underway when new Regulations came into force. However, the Government is aware of cases of housing developments being built out to energy efficiency requirements that have been superseded more than twice with changes to Part L of the Building Regulations. While we appreciate that many housebuilding sites are built out over a number of years, it cannot be right that new homes are being built to old standards introduced in 2010 or even 2006. That in turn means that occupiers do not benefit from the levels of energy efficiency and the bill savings they would expect from a brand-new home. It also means that new homes are contributing more carbon dioxide emissions than should be expected, which has an impact on climate change.To mitigate this, the Future Homes Standard consultation proposed a more stringent set of transitional requirements in 2020 to ensure that developers do not continue to build to older energy efficiency standards for longer than is appropriate. The consultation also sought views on the possible transitional arrangements that may apply from 2025 when the Future Homes Standard is introduced.The Future Homes Standard consultation closed on 7 February. The responses we have received will be considered carefully, and the Government response will be issued in due course.

Homelessness: Coronavirus

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many homeless people in England who were previously sleeping on the streets have been housed in (1) hotels, (2) hostels, or (3) other accommodation during the COVID-19 lockdown; how many of these people are still in such housing; and what will happen to them as the lockdown eases and the hospitablity industry returns to normal.

lord greenhalgh: Almost 15,000 vulnerable people, including those who were street homeless, have been housed in emergency accommodation, including hotels, since the start of the COVID-19, according to returns from local authorities.We are continuing to work with local authorities to understand the work they are doing to help the most vulnerable in our society. We announced on 24 May plans to provide thousands of long-term, safe homes for vulnerable rough sleepers taken off the streets during this pandemic. This ambitious commitment will be backed by £160 million this year through accelerating plans for the £381 million announced for rough sleeping services at Budget, bringing the total to £433 million over the lifetime of this Parliament. The Government is increasing the revenue support of the total programme by 37% to make sure that the rough sleepers have the support they need to stay off the streets for good.This funding with 3,300 units of this accommodation becoming available in the next 12 months. Homes England, in partnership with my Department, have pledged to work hand-in-hand with leading Housing Associations and local authorities to deliver this.

High Rise Flats: Insulation

lord bourne of aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many buildings above 18 metres in height still have aluminium composite material cladding.

lord greenhalgh: The Department publishes data on the number of high-rise residential and publicly owned buildings in England with ACM cladding systems unlikely to meet building regulations. The latest data is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/building-safety-programme-monthly-data-release-may-2020. This shows that there are 300 high-rise residential and publicly owned buildings with ACM cladding systems unlikely to meet Building Regulations yet to be remediated in England. Of these, 140 buildings have started remediation, including 54 buildings that have had their ACM cladding systems removed. 



Building Safety programme monthly data
(PDF Document, 1.32 MB)

High Rise Flats: Insulation

lord bourne of aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the details of the owners of buildings above 18 metres in height with aluminium composite material cladding have been disclosed.

lord greenhalgh: The Department has a policy of not publicly disclosing information which could reveal the identity of buildings which have failed or are inferred to have failed cladding tests. This is because there are concerns that this information could be used by those with malicious intent to attack or otherwise compromise the safety of these buildings and their residents.However, in February 2020, the Department published a list of corporate entities that have indicated that they are taking on the responsibility for the remediation of unsafe ACM cladding, but where at least one of their buildings does not yet have a plan in place. This can be (attached) found here , and the list will be updated periodically. Entities are excluded from this list if it would lead to the identification of a specific building with unsafe ACM cladding .



Unsafe ACM Cladding
(PDF Document, 130.55 KB)

Grenfell Tower: Fires

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether all those who lost their homes in the fire at Grenfell Tower on 14 June 2017 are now rehoused in permanent accommodation.

lord greenhalgh: According to the latest data from the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council (RBKC), as of 12th June 2020, of the 201 households from Grenfell Tower and Walk that require rehousing, 194 households have moved into permanent accommodation. Of the 7 households who have not yet moved into a permanent home, they have either accepted a permanent home or have a suitable permanent home reserved for them that meets the Council’s assessment of their housing need.We expect RBKC to do whatever is necessary to ensure households can move into permanent homes as swiftly as possible, but to do so sensitively and taking into account individual needs, and are continuing to work closely with RBKC to ensure this occurs without unnecessary delay.

Ministry of Defence

Armed Forces: Resignations

lord mann: To ask Her Majesty's Government who keeps records of exit interviews of those leaving the Armed Forces; and how often the Ministry of Defence evaluates those records.

baroness goldie: Responsibility for carrying out exit interviews (as well as analysing the results) sits with the Single Services, and data is held on their systems accordingly. The Royal Navy stores exit interview information on Joint Personnel Administration system (JPA, the military intranet-based HR system), where it can be accessed by their People and Transformation team. The team generate six-monthly Leavers Intention surveys, from which themes and trends can be identified. A formal review process is being considered as part of the Navy People Transformation process. The British Army operates a de-centralised process, with Regiments conducting their own exit surveys; the data is held and available for analysis at local level. In line with Army’s project on retention, work towards a structured exit interviews and surveys is due to be completed by September 2020. Within the RAF, statistical information for voluntary exits is provided to Defence Statistics who use this detail to publish voluntary outflow rates, which inform retention work. All sources of exit information are routinely analysed by the RAF’s Workforce Requirements and Recruiting to assist in the management of staffing and forecasting. A six-monthly retention working group is held, where data is reviewed in depth.

Voyager Aircraft

baroness bennett of manor castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the RAF Voyager would need to be repainted should it be required for operational military purposes; and if so, what the likely cost would be.

baroness goldie: The VIP Voyager aircraft's primary role remains Air-to-Air refuelling, and it remains available to meet a range of operational commitments. The aircraft is already used to fly senior Government Ministers and members of the Royal Family on official business. The new livery better reflects this prestigious task, however, if required, the aircraft can be returned quickly to a more traditional military livery, the costs for which are marginal and absorbed within the overall Voyager running costs.

Inappropriate Behaviours in the Armed Forces Review

lord touhig: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Wigston Review into inappropriate behaviours in the Armed Forces, published on 15 July 2019, how the Ministry of Defence implemented the necessary training interventions to tackle the issue of overrepresentation of minority groups in the complaints process.

baroness goldie: The independent study into the overrepresentation of minority groups in the Service Complaints system has yet to conclude, therefore we are unable to commission targeted training at this current stage. However, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) is conducting a comprehensive review of all relevant training to ensure Diversity and Inclusion principles are included and up to date, reflecting the Wigston Review findings. The MOD ensures all Service personnel and civil servants receive regular and mandatory Diversity and Inclusion training, and each Service has their own initiatives aimed at their personnel. Collectively, the Department has recently designed a three strand approach to Active Bystander training: new entrants to Defence and those on career progression courses will receive Active Bystander principles in their training; Delivering Active Bystander training on establishments at regular intervals; and creating an accessible online training Active Bystander product.

Inappropriate Behaviours in the Armed Forces Review

lord touhig: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Wigston Review into inappropriate behaviours in the Armed Forces, published on 15 July 2019, what focal point has been established in the Ministry of Defence to own, track and inform defence culture and behaviours.

lord touhig: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Wigston Review into inappropriate behaviours in the Armed Forces, published on 15 July 2019, what Defence Authority has been established to be responsible for cultures and inappropriate behaviours.

baroness goldie: The Chief of Defence People, Lieutenant General James Swift, has been appointed the Senior Responsible Owner for culture and behaviours in the Ministry of Defence (MOD). The MOD remains committed to implementing the recommendations of the Wigston Review. We have set up the Wigston Review Implementation Team to drive this forward in the short term. Decisions about the Defence Authority will be taken in due course following agreement on proposals to reform the Service Complaints system, some of which may require legislative change.

Inappropriate Behaviours in the Armed Forces Review

lord touhig: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Wigston Review into inappropriate behaviours in the Armed Forces, published on 15 July 2019, what two-tier complaints system has been implemented for bullying, harassment and discrimination.

baroness goldie: The Department is currently in the process of refining proposals for the new Service Complaints system.

Turkey: NATO

lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports of Turkish military actions against a French warship on a NATO mission.

baroness goldie: We are concerned by the reporting of the Maritime incident in the Mediterranean on 10 June. It is important that we first establish the facts and we welcome the NATO Maritime Command investigation of the incident. We continue to encourage bilateral engagement between France and Turkey in parallel.

Ministry of Defence: Dismissal

lord tunnicliffe: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many employees at the Ministry for Defence have lost their jobs due to (1) discriminatory, and (2) racist, behaviour towards other employees since 2010. [T]

baroness goldie: The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. I can assure the Noble Lord that the Ministry of Defence and the UK Armed Forces are committed to taking action to eradicate any discriminatory and racist behaviour towards other employees and have a zero-tolerance approach. All allegations of illegal or unacceptable behaviour are taken extremely seriously and investigated thoroughly. I also refer the Noble Lord to the answer given in the House of Commons on 18 June 2020 by the Minister for Defence Personnel and Veterans to the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, Jamie Stone MP, to Question 61568.  



Armed Forces: Racial Discrimination
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Department for Work and Pensions

Visual Impairment: Social Distancing

baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking in response to research by the Royal National Institute of Blind People to ensure that the two-thirds of blind and partially sighted people identified as feeling that they have lost their independence during lockdown are able to access services as the restrictions in place to address COVID-19 are lifted.

baroness stedman-scott: The Government is fully committed to supporting disabled people affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. We are ensuring that disabled people continue to have accessto updated guidance, including workplace and transport related guidance during the COVID-19 outbreak. All equality and discrimination laws and obligations continue to apply during the COVID-19 pandemic. We worked with the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) to transcribe gov.uk pages on general coronavirus guidelines and financial advice into spoken word formats. This guidance is available on RNIB phone lines. This ensures that visually impaired people without access to the internet are able to receive the same advice as sighted people with internet access. The Cabinet Office Disability Unit continues to work with stakeholders, such as the RNIB, and across Government Departments to ensure that the needs of disabled people are considered in the Government’s response to COVID-19.

Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations

baroness gale: To ask Her Majesty's Government when a decision will be made on whether the current suspension of face-to-face assessments for welfare benefits will be extended, and how this will be communicated.

baroness stedman-scott: Our priority throughout this health emergency continues to be to protect the public and staff, while ensuring people get the benefits they are entitled to quickly and safely. Reviews and reassessments remain suspended while we review what activity we can gradually start reintroducing in line with the latest public health advice. We will confirm next steps as soon as possible.

Disability

baroness thomas of winchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government which disability organisations and charities are helping to develop the National Strategy for Disabled People.

baroness stedman-scott: The National Strategy for Disabled People is a manifesto commitment of this Government and its delivery is a priority. Its significance is even greater as we re-build the UK economy and society following the COVID-19 pandemic. The Cabinet Office Disability Unit is now working on an approach and timescale that will allow meaningful engagement with an extensive range of stakeholders, and through a range of means that can be pursued safely in the context of the pandemic. Contributions from any organisation will be very welcome and particularly where this brings additional insight to the lived experience of disabled people.

Social Security Benefits

baroness bennett of manor castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to extend the suspension of new reviews and reassessments ofall benefits beyond 24 June. [T]

baroness stedman-scott: Our priority throughout this health emergency continues to be to protect the public and staff, while ensuring people get the benefits they are entitled to quickly and safely. Reviews and reassessments will remain suspended while we review what activity we can gradually start reintroducing in line with the latest public health advice. We will confirm next steps as soon as possible.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Welfare Assistance Schemes

baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the £63 million announced for local authority welfare assistance schemes will be ring-fenced; and what guidance they plan to publish as to how it should be spent including with regard to cash versus in-kind help.

lord gardiner of kimble: The £63 million announced for local authority welfare assistance schemes will not be ring-fenced. It will be administered by local authorities, who will retain discretion on the type of support that best meets local conditions and needs. The strategic objective of the grant is to support individuals and families who are unable to afford food and other essential items during the Covid-19 pandemic. Central guidance will be issued to reinforce the stated outcomes of the scheme.

Home Office

Visas: British National (Overseas)

baroness northover: To ask Her Majesty's Government what the application process and fees, including a possible NHS health surcharge, will be for British National (Overseas) status holders from Hong Kong and their dependants if they wish to apply for an extension of their leave for a further 12 months.

baroness williams of trafford: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 29 June 2020.The correct answer should have been:

The Graduate route will be introduced in the summer of 2021. Information on the route was provided in the factsheet published in October 2019 https://homeofficemedia.blog.gov.uk/2019/10/14/fact-sheet-graduate-immigration-route/.Further details of the route will be published shortly.The UK will continue to defend the rights & freedoms of the people of Hong Kong. Should China push ahead and impose national security legislation on Hong Kong then we will provide a generous offer to BN(O)s of a bespoke immigration route providing unrestricted access to work and study with a pathway to apply for citizenship.The Home Office is working closely with the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and domestic departments on the offer to British Nationals (Overseas) and will set out more detail in due course.

baroness williams of trafford: The Graduate route will be introduced in the summer of 2021. Information on the route was provided in the factsheet published in October 2019 https://homeofficemedia.blog.gov.uk/2019/10/14/fact-sheet-graduate-immigration-route/.Further details of the route will be published shortly.The UK will continue to defend the rights & freedoms of the people of Hong Kong. Should China push ahead and impose national security legislation on Hong Kong then we will provide a generous offer to BN(O)s of a bespoke immigration route providing unrestricted access to work and study with a pathway to apply for citizenship.The Home Office is working closely with the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and domestic departments on the offer to British Nationals (Overseas) and will set out more detail in due course.

Visas: British National (Overseas)

baroness northover: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether British National (Overseas) status holders and their dependants are required to make any additional applications after their arrival before they will be allowed to apply to work or study in the UK; and whethersuch peoplewill be subject to restrictionsincluding (1)shortage of occupation professions, (2) minimum salary requirements, or (3) any other restrictions on the work for which they can apply.

baroness williams of trafford: The UK will continue to defend the rights & freedoms of the people of Hong Kong. Should China push ahead and impose national security legislation on Hong Kong then we will provide a generous offer to BN(O)s of a bespoke immigration route providing unrestricted access to work and study with a pathway to apply for citizenship.The Home Office is working closely with the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and domestic departments on the offer to British Nationals (Overseas) and will set out more detail in due course.

British National (Overseas):  British Nationality

baroness northover: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, under the new scheme proposedfor a possible pathway to citizenship for British National (Overseas) (BNO) status holders and their dependants, whether there will be a dedicated route to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR); and if so, how many years it is proposed that BNO status holders and their dependants will have to be continuously resident in the United Kingdom before being eligible to apply for ILR.

baroness northover: To ask Her Majesty's Government how any changes to British National (Overseas) (BNO) status will affect or be applied to BNO status holders and their dependants who are already present in theUK either lawfully or having overstayed.

baroness williams of trafford: The UK will continue to defend the rights & freedoms of the people of Hong Kong. Should China push ahead and impose national security legislation on Hong Kong then we will provide a generous offer to BN(O)s of a bespoke immigration route providing unrestricted access to work and study with a pathway to apply for citizenship.The Home Office is working closely with the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and domestic departments on the offer to British Nationals (Overseas) and will set out more detail in due course.

Visas: Graduates

lord fox: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will announce further details of the two-year post-study work visa.

baroness williams of trafford: The Graduate route will be introduced in the summer of 2021. Information on the route was provided in the factsheet published in October 2019 https://homeofficemedia.blog.gov.uk/2019/10/14/fact-sheet-graduate-immigration-route/.Further details of the route will be published shortly.

Terrorism: Recruitment

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking (1) to assess, and (2) to address, the risk of terror groups using the COVID-19 pandemic to recruit new members.[T]

baroness williams of trafford: Public protection from the threat of terrorism remains a priority for the Government. The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to remain vigilant of terrorists seeking to exploit the situation to further their aims. We know that people are spending more time online during this period and this can put them at greater risk of experiencing online harm. We have been working closely with technology companies, civil society and academia to understand and respond to the risks presented during this period. Although it is too early to confidently analyse patterns from this period, there is universal concern about keeping children safe online.The Prevent Duty remains an essential tool for safeguarding individuals that are vulnerable to radicalisation, ensuring they can be offered support as early as possible. The Government is taking several measures to enhance existing capabilities to support vulnerable individuals, including:- utilising long-standing, effective relationships with technology companies to understand any changes in terrorist use of their platform and ensure processes are in place to enable companies to respond quickly to any emerging threats;- working with Five Eyes partners to develop a joint framework to assess the impact of Covid-19 on online terrorist activity;- supporting our network of Prevent coordinators in the 44 Prevent Priority Areas to understand the impact Covid-19 is having, assisting them to adapt delivery utilising virtual technology where appropriate;- working alongside our colleagues in the Department for Education and Counter-Terrorism Policing to promote digital safety guidance products. These have been distributed to Local Authority Prevent Leads, as well as other organisations. The guidance gives practical advice to ensure loved ones are safe online, including through signposting to Prevent services in case of radicalisation concerns; and- continuing to hold Channel Panels throughout the period that pandemic restrictions have been imposed and delivering intervention sessions via telephone when possible, with the highest need cases still receiving face-to-face support.

Wales Office

UK Trade with EU: Wales

lord wigley: To ask Her Majesty's Government on how many occasions the Prime Minister has discussed matters relating to securing a trade deal between the UK and the EU with the First Minister of Wales since 1 June.

baroness bloomfield of hinton waldrist: The Prime Minister and Cabinet Ministers have regular discussions with Ministers from the Devolved Administrations on a wide range of matters, including our future trading relationships now that we have left the European Union. As part of this regular engagement the Paymaster General holds regular calls with Jeremy Miles, the Welsh Government Counsel General and Minister for Europe Transition. As set out in our approach to negotiations, the UK is looking for a deal that is in the interests of all of the UK.

Cabinet Office

Influenza and Pneumonia: Death

baroness altmann: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people died from (1) influenza, and (2) pneumonia, in each of the last ten years; and of those, how many were aged (a) 60–69, (b) 70–79, (c) 80–89, and (d) 90–99,

lord true: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have therefore asked the Authority to respond. Dear Baroness Altmann,As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Questions asking how many people died from (1) influenza, and (2) pneumonia, in each of the last ten years; and of those, how many were aged (a) 60–69, (b) 70–79, (c) 80–89, and (d) 90–99 (HL5629); and how many people died from a stroke in each of the last ten years; and of those, how many were aged (a) 60–69, (b) 70–79, (c) 80–89, and (d) 90–99 (HL5630).The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is responsible for publishing mortality statistics for deaths registered in England and Wales. The most recent annual figures published are for deaths registered in 2018[1]. However, we do publish provisional weekly deaths registrations, which are currently published for deaths registered up to 5 June 2020[2]. National Records Scotland (NRS) and the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) are responsible for publishing the number of deaths registered in Scotland and Northern Ireland respectively.Cause of death is defined using the International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th edition (ICD-10). Deaths caused by influenza, pneumonia and stroke are identified by the ICD-10 codes J09-J11, J12-J18 and I60-I69 respectively.Table 1 contains the number of deaths involving influenza, pneumonia and stroke occurring in England and Wales in the years 2009-2018. This data is not yet available for 2019 and 2020. The finalised annual death registrations for 2019 will be presented in the forthcoming Death Registrations[3] publication, which we will send to you on 1 July 2020 when it is published.Yours sincerely,Professor Sir Ian Diamond Table 1: Number of deaths occuring where the underlying cause influenza, pneumonia or stroke by age group, 2009 and 2018, England and Wales[4][5][6][7][8][9]YearCause of deathAge59 and under60-6970-7980-8990-99100 +2009Stroke1,7992,3076,42614,3516,434263Influenza175201325110Pneumonia1,1311,2703,72711,2388,3727012010Stroke1,8332,3276,20913,5266,632297Influenza1702527941Pneumonia1,0341,3103,50910,5928,4167422011Stroke1,7192,2135,79412,1986,528263Influenza23651292830Pneumonia9181,1733,36010,4538,9196982012Stroke1,6762,2185,56512,1626,794306Influenza259921230Pneumonia8391,1713,35210,5889,5597692013Stroke1,7252,0835,47811,5626,692252Influenza53251736232Pneumonia8281,1583,37110,5529,7288322014Stroke1,7522,1585,49311,5156,624281Influenza50162428141Pneumonia1,0151,3403,49510,1449,0167612015Stroke1,6942,2815,67911,6956,989321Influenza41413878647Pneumonia1,2751,5133,81511,28610,4258602016Stroke1,6972,2175,56911,0376,347280Influenza165937470461Pneumonia1,2881,6433,85910,4559,5096972017Stroke1,5842,0825,17810,4486,192263Influenza3836771411319Pneumonia1,0431,3813,6039,9129,4556672018Stroke1,6742,1475,39910,6196,165223Influenza17614732155136017Pneumonia1,2831,5743,98410,5139,567610 Source: Office for National Statistics[1]https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/datasets/deathsregisteredinenglandandwalesseriesdrreferencetables[2]https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/deathsregisteredweeklyinenglandandwalesprovisional/weekending5june2020[3] https://www.ons.gov.uk/releases/deathsregisteredinenglandandwales2019[4]Figures based on occurrence (death-date)[5]Figures for England and Wales include deaths of non-residents.[6]Influenza or pneumonia is the underlying cause of death and was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes J09 to J11.[7]Pneumonia is the underlying cause of death and was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes J12 to J18.[8]Stroke is the underlying cause of death and was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes I60 to I64.[9]For information on how deaths are registered and mortality statistics are produced please see the Quality and methodology section

Ministerial Policy Advisers

lord black of brentwood: To ask Her Majesty's Government what role the Cabinet Secretary plays in relation to supervising Special Advisors; and what guidance they have issued on the application of the Nolan Principles to Special Advisors.

lord true: The Seven Principles of Public Life apply to anyone who works as a public office-holder.The Code of Conduct for Special Advisers, at paragraph 9, sets out that “The responsibility for the management and conduct of special advisers, including discipline, rests with the Minister who made the appointment. It is also the appointing Minister’s responsibility to ensure that their special adviser(s) adhere to this Code of Conduct.” It does not specify any such role for the Cabinet Secretary.

Press Conferences: Coronavirus

baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government why there is a lower age limit of 18 on members of the public allowed to ask a question at the daily coronavirus briefing.

lord true: We are mindful of the value of young people being able to contribute their views on policy matters, including those relating to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, members of the public who ask questions, particularly those filmed, are placed in the public eye to a significant extent on television, and are subsequently subject to comment on social media.There are practical issues with children being subjected to such scrutiny, without parental consent and involvement. As it stands, parents and carers can ask questions on behalf of under-18s as a way for them to raise issues in the daily press conferences.The Government continues to actively consider alternative options for under-18s to submit questions to ministers. For example, the Prime Minister met with students aged 10 – 11 on Friday 19 June to answer their questions on coronavirus and returning to school.

Civil Servants: Coronavirus

baroness ritchie of downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to ensure that civil servants in public-facing roles are able to work safely during the COVID-19 pandemic.

lord true: For civil servants whose roles require them to be in the workplace, advice has been provided to support them in line with the government guidance on safer working during covid-19.Departments are working closely with individual employees to take into account their personal circumstances.

Coronavirus: Government Departments

baroness ritchie of downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risk to BAME (1) civil servants, and (2) contracted workers in Government departments, of (a) contracting, and (b) spreading, COVID-19.

lord true: Government advice remains that people should work from home where possible.For civil servants whose roles require them to be in the workplace, advice has also been provided to support them in line with the government guidance on safer working during covid-19. In addition, a Workplace Incident Framework, developed with trade unions, sets out the activity that must take place when an individual develops Covid-19 specific to their employees, including for public-facing roles, in line with BEIS guidance and through close working with NHS England and Public Health England.Departments are working closely with individuals to ensure their personal circumstances are fully factored into decisions about their working arrangements. This includes supporting ethnic minority individuals based on their particular circumstances and ensuring they have the right to challenge a proposed return to the workplace if they have concerns, to have those concerns properly considered and addressed and to not return where they feel this has not been done.Measures to reduce the risk of contracting and spreading covid-19 for temporary agency workers have been put in place, including a payment scheme to support the pay of temporary agency workers who cannot work for reasons associated with covid-19 (up to the value of 80% of their salary to a cap of £2,500 per month) and the use of virtual pre-employment screening checks and interviews.

Electoral Register

baroness ritchie of downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the annual canvass produces an (1) comprehensive, and (2) accurate, record of the electorate in England.

lord true: The Representation of the People (Annual Canvass) (Amendment) Regulations 2019, made in October 2019, introduced comprehensive reform to the annual canvass. Canvass Reform has provided Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) with greater flexibility to target their resources in a way which best suits their local area, while at the same time reducing their overall administrative burden. The reforms also make the canvass more effective for citizens, as the initial data matching step means that many will no longer have to respond to the canvass each year.Ensuring that the electoral register is both accurate and complete is the legislative responsibility of EROs and the Government is supporting EROs to be able to meet this requirement. Preparations to undertake the 2020 Annual Canvass under the reformed system are well underway and Cabinet Office officials have ensured a comprehensive package of training has been provided and direct support is in place.In light of the Covid-19 pandemic, and to provide additional flexibility to EROs, the Government is also introducing legislation this summer to extend the publication date of the annual register from December 2020 to February 2021. This will provide EROs with greater flexibility and further time to produce a comprehensive and accurate record of the electorate.

Voting Rights: Young People

baroness ritchie of downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential merits of extending voting rights to 16 and 17 year olds in England.

lord true: The Government was elected on a manifesto commitment to retain the current franchise at 18 and therefore has no plans to extend voting rights to 16 and 17 year olds in England.The Government continues to believe that the voting age should remain aligned with the age of majority, at 18. This is the point at which many other key rights and obligations as a citizen are acquired and is in line with international comparators.

Driving and Health Services: Reciprocal Arrangements

lord bowness: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress has been made in negotiations with the EU or bilaterally with individual member states on continued mutual recognition of (1) drivers licences, (2) EHIC cards, and (3) disabled blue parking badges.

lord true: The recognition of both driving licenses and blue badges is a member state competence and the Government is seeking to secure both with EU members via bilateral agreements. Discussions are ongoing in both of these areas. UK motorists will still be able to drive in the EU with their UK Driving Licence but some EU countries may require an International Driving Permit, which is available now from the Post Office. The UK Government is currently negotiating with the EU on future reciprocal healthcare arrangements as part of the negotiating group on ‘mobility and social security coordination’.

Diseases: Mortality Rates

lord judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatplans they have to publish comparative statistics of death rates from diseases including (1) tuberculosis, (2) heart disease, (3) influenza, (4) diabetes, and (5) similar diseases, tocontextualise death rates from COVID-19 and improve public understanding.

lord true: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have therefore asked the Authority to respond. Dear Lord Judd,As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking what plans there are to publish comparative statistics on death rates from diseases including (1) tuberculosis, (2) heart disease, (3) influenza, (4) diabetes, and (5) similar diseases, to contextualise death rates from COVID-19 and improve public understanding (HL5854).The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is responsible for publishing mortality statistics for deaths registered in England and Wales. The most recent annual figures published are for deaths registered in 2018[1]. The finalised annual death registrations for 2019 will be presented in the forthcoming Death Registrations[2] publication, due to be published on 1 July 2020.We also publish provisional data on weekly deaths registrations, which are currently published for deaths registered up to 5 June 2020[3]. National Records Scotland (NRS) and the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) are responsible for publishing the number of deaths registered in Scotland and Northern Ireland respectively.The ONS has recently published an article that presents additional data on deaths involving COVID-19, for deaths that occurred between 1 March and 30 April (and registered up to 5 May 2020), in England and Wales[4]. This publication provides a breakdown of the 10 leading causes of death during this period, which include ischaemic heart disease, influenza and pneumonia. Figures 3 and 4 in this publication compare the age-standardised mortality rate for the 10 leading causes of death against the 5-year average. Age-standardised rates are used because they provide a better measure of mortality than the number of deaths, as they account for the population size and age structure. They are also better for comparing between areas and over time.Table 1[5] reports the number of deaths occurring between 1 March and 30 April 2020, grouped by leading causes, including COVID-19. An extract of the data containing the conditions you have requested is below. Unfortunately, due to the way we analyse the data, we are unable to separate those deaths where the cause of death was registered as influenza or pneumonia. An update of this dataset will be published on 23 June 2020[6].Our future analysis workplan includes further investigation of deaths involving COVID-19 and those from other causes.Yours sincerely,Professor Sir Ian Diamond Table 1: Number of deaths by select causes, England and Wales, deaths occurring between March and April 2020[7],[8],[9]  England and WalesEnglandWalesICD-10 codesCause of death groupsMarchAprilMarchAprilMarchAprilU07.1-U07.2Coronavirus4,37927,7644,20826,3961581,326A15–A19, B90Tuberculosis13812711E10–E14Diabetes6558516168093841I05–I09Chronic rheumatic heart diseases9469896455I10–I15Hypertensive diseases6697146336753439I20–I25Ischaemic heart diseases4,6244,0534,3073,815311236I26–I28Pulmonary heart disease and diseases of pulmonary circulation2192252052081317J09–J18Influenza and pneumonia2,5541,8062,3861,698163106Source: Office for National Statistics [1]https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/datasets/deathsregisteredinenglandandwalesseriesdrreferencetables[2] https://www.ons.gov.uk/releases/deathsregisteredinenglandandwales2019[3]https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/datasets/weeklyprovisionalfiguresondeathsregisteredinenglandandwales[4]https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/deathsinvolvingcovid19englandandwales/latest[5]https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/datasets/deathsinvolvingcovid19englandandwales[6]https://www.ons.gov.uk/releases/deathsinvolvingcovid19englandandwalesmay2020[7]England and Wales includes deaths of non-residents. England and Wales separately excludes deaths of non-residents.[8]Based on the data a death occurred rather than when a death was registered.[9]Based on the bounderies as of February 2020.

Intelligence and Security Committee

lord butler of brockwell: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the terrorist attack in Reading on 20 June, when the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament will be appointed. [T]

lord true: I refer the noble Lord to my answer given to PQ HL3315 on 4 May 2020. The Committee is being formed in the normal way and as quickly as current circumstances allow. An announcement will be made in due course.

Intelligence and Security Committee: Russia

the lord bishop of salisbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to facilitate the publication of the redacted report of the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament, Russia, sent to the Prime Minister on 17 October 2019. [T]

lord true: In line with his responsibilities in the Justice and Security Act 2013, the Prime Minister carefully considered and approved the report, and is content that its publication would not prejudice the functions of those bodies that safeguard our national security.We acknowledge the public’s interest in the publication of the report, however - as the Government has repeatedly made clear - the report itself is the property of the independent Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament and as such it is not for the Government to publish ISC reports; it is for the ISC to lay them before Parliament. Once a new Committee has been established, it will be up to them to choose when they wish to publish it. An announcement on the new Committee will be made in due course.

Treasury

Coronavirus: Wales

lord wigley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the total additional financial allocation, over and above the budgeted amounts for 2019–20 and 2020–21, respectively, they have made available to the Welsh Government to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences.

lord agnew of oulton: In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, we have so far announced £2.3 billion of additional funding for the Welsh Government in 2020-21 to support people, businesses and public services in Wales. This is in addition to the UK-wide measures that the people and businesses in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will benefit from, such as the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme and the Bounce Back Loan Scheme.

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

baroness ritchie of downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential gaps in provision of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme for people shielding from COVID-19.

lord agnew of oulton: From 1 August, those who are shielding who need to work and who cannot do so from home will be able to return to work as long as their workplace is COVID-secure, adhering to the guidance available. Employers should do all they can to enable shielders to work from home where this is possible, or to work in a COVID-secure workplace where this is not. Employees who are still unable to work because they are shielding in line with public health guidance can be furloughed, providing that they have previously been furloughed for at least three consecutive weeks taking place any time between 1 March 2020 and 30 June.The Government has set out an unprecedented package of financial support measures to help the country through the coronavirus pandemic, to which shielders may have access. These measures include Statutory Sick Pay, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, the Self Employment Income Support Scheme, and an injection of £8 billon into the welfare system to improve the safety net.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Music: Coronavirus

lord clement-jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of the £160 million Arts Council England COVID-19 support for the arts has been allocated to programs that (1) commercial musicians, and (2) music businesses, with no previous record of engagement with Arts Council England, can access.

lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of the COVID-19 emergency funding that Arts Council England made available was accessible to (1) commercial musicians, and (2) music businesses who had not previously engaged withthat organisation.

baroness barran: The £160 million Arts Council England funding was allocated across three programmes as follows:£20 million available for individual practitioners, including £4 million distributed by seven benevolent funds supporting individuals working in arts and culture£50 million made available for organisations outside the Arts Council’s National Portfolio£90 million made available for the Arts Council’s National Portfolio Organisations and Creative People and Places organisations. Individuals and organisations outside the Arts Council’s National Portfolio, including those from the commercial music sector were eligible to apply for the first two programmes. Applicants were required to have a track record of working in the publicly-funded culture sector within the last three years, but were still eligible even if they did not have prior direct contact with Arts Council England.

Local Broadcasting: Television

lord kirkhope of harrogate: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they plan to make to the BBC to ensure the continuation of regional TV programmes, and in particular political and current affairs programmes.

baroness barran: The BBC’s Royal Charter requires the BBC to represent, reflect and serve audiences, taking into account the needs of diverse communities of all the UK nations and regions. The BBC’s proposed cuts to English regional television were debated in the chamber on 22 June 2020 with unanimous support for regional broadcasting. However, the BBC is editorially and operationally independent of government, and regional programming is a matter for the BBC. Under the new regulatory system introduced by the government in 2017, the BBC Board must ensure the BBC complies with its Charter duties, and the government established Ofcom as the BBC regulator to ensure the BBC is robustly held to account.

Women and Equalities

Ethnic Groups: Coronavirus

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support BAME women during the COVID-19 pandemic.

baroness berridge: This Government is working to support all people through COVID-19, including BAME women. Guided by medical and scientific expertise, we have implemented specific measures to reduce the spread of the virus in all communities for everyone including women from BAME backgrounds.This Government has taken unprecedented steps to support lives and livelihoods, including increasing the generosity of Universal Credit, introducing the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, and made changes to ensure women do not miss out on parental leave and childcare support. In addition, Equality Hub officials regularly meet with organisations representing women and BAME communities and continue to do so. We are also working to alert and encourage relevant grassroots charities to apply for funding that has been made available including through the National Lottery Community Fund.Public Health England has now completed its review into ‘Disparities in the risk and outcomes of COVID-19’, which confirms that COVID-19 has replicated, and in some cases increased, existing health inequalities related to risk factors, including age, gender, ethnicity and geography. The Minister for Equalities is working with the Race Disparity Unit and the Department for Health and Social Care to carry forward work to address the disparities outlined in the Public Health England report.

Ethnic Groups: Equality

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what will be the terms of reference of the new commission on race and ethnic disparities; and on what areas it will focus.

baroness berridge: The new Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities will examine continuing racial and ethnic inequalities in Britain. The aim of the Commission is to set out a new, positive agenda for change - balancing the needs of individuals, communities and society, maximising opportunities and ensuring fairness for all. The terms of reference will be published in due course.

Equality and Racial Discrimination

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that they take action to address racism and inequality as the new commission on race and ethnic disparities is conducting its investigations rather than waiting for the inquiry to end.

baroness berridge: The Government is committed to tackling racism and levelling up. The Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities will build on the work of the Government’s Race Disparity Unit (RDU), going further to understand why disparities exist and will present recommendations for action across Government and other public bodies. The RDU is already carrying out work across departments and their agencies to identify and address adverse variances in outcomes across education, healthcare, criminal justice and the economy, and will continue to do so as the Commission works.

Coronavirus: Ethnic Groups

baroness ritchie of downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to tackle disproportionate effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on BAME communities.

baroness berridge: On 4 June Minister for Equalities, Kemi Badenoch MP, announced the Government’s next steps to address the disparities identified in the Public Health England (PHE) Report. The Minister will be working with the Race Disparity Unit (RDU) and the Department for Health and Social Care with support from officials across other departments and their agencies to carry forward this vital work. This includes reviewing the effectiveness and impact of current actions being undertaken by relevant government departments and their agencies to directly lessen disparities in infection and death rates of COVID-19.